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With Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. military advisers heading to Iraq, political support for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was dealt a serious blow Friday with a call by the spiritual leader of Iraq's Shiite majority for a new, "effective" government.
"It is necessary for the winning political blocs to start a dialogue that yields an effective government that enjoys broad national support, avoids past mistakes and opens new horizons toward a better future for all Iraqis," al-Sistani said in a message delivered by his representative Ahmed al-Safi in the holy city of Karbala.
The Iranian-born recluse, who lives in the holy city of Najaf south of Baghdad, is deeply revered by Iraq's Shiites.
The cleric's thinly veiled comments suggested that the prime minister was to blame for the nation's crisis as Sunni militants have joined forces with the al-Qaeda-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).
It was al-Sistani's appeal last week that prompted thousands of Shiites to volunteer to fight against the military threat by ISIS.
Al-Sistani's Friday sermon also called for the newly elected parliament to begin work and start the process of forming the next government without delay, Reuters reports. Maliki's party won the most seats in last month's election, but his coalition fell short of a majority.
The none-too-subtle vote of no-confidence in al-Maliki follows equally lukewarm remarks by President Obama toward the prime minister in announcing that he is sending up to 300 U.S. troops to Iraq to help train Iraqi security forces and target insurgents.
"We've said publicly, that whether (al-Maliki) is prime minister or any other leader aspires to lead the country, that there has to be an agenda in which Sunni, Shiite and Kurd all feel that they have the opportunity to advance their interest through the political process," Obama said Thursday.
"Only leaders that can govern with an inclusive agenda are going to be able to truly bring the Iraqi people together and help them through this crisis," Obama said.
It was a theme echoed by Kerry, who will be heading to Baghdad this weekend. He told reporters in Washington that the only way to fight the militant group "is through strong coordination by Iraqi leaders across the full spectrum of Iraqi society and with the support of the surrounding nations."
"The next days will decide whether or not that is the direction chosen, but it is really in the hands of Iraqis to determine their future, and we will do everything in our power to keep faith with our soldiers who expended so much in the effort to provide Iraqis with exactly this kind of a choice," Kerry said. "But it is truly up to the leaders now to make those choices, and we'll do everything we can to encourage it."
Critics have accused al-Maliki of marginalizing — and angering — the country's Sunni and Kurdish populations. Sunnis, who were dominant in the military and government of the now-ousted Saddam Hussein, have joined forces with ISIL in the recent upsurge in violence.
The revolt was sparked in large part by al-Maliki's efforts last year to crush protests by Sunnis complaining of discrimination under his Shiite-led government.
Militants have taken over the city of Fallujah in the western, Sunni-dominated province of Anbar and parts of the provincial capital, Ramadi. Iraqi army and police forces battling them for months have been unable to take most areas back.
Iraqi Kurds, who are dominant in the northern regions, have likewise accused al-Maliki of ignoring their interests and excluding them from decision-making positions in government.
In a sign of the sharpening economic and military pressure, militants and government forces are battling for control of the Beiji refinery, the country's largest, 155 miles north of Baghdad.
By late Thursday, the two sides held different parts of the refinery, which is spread over several square miles of desert.
The army officer in charge of protecting the refinery told The Associated Press on Friday that he believed the militants were regrouping to launch a new attack after his forces repelled one Thursday night. There was no immediate way to independently verify his claims.
The facility's production accounts for just over a quarter of the country's entire refining capacity. It goes strictly toward domestic consumption for gasoline as well as fuel for cooking and power stations.
USA Today/The Associated Press


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We're excited to announce that the latest installment in the Hot Shots Golf franchise (which has just celebrated its 15th year anniversary) will be winging its way onto PS3 via PSN on July 23rd for $19.99.
The PS3 version offers everybody's favorite local multiplayer that supports up to four players, as well as new features such as Real Feel Shot where you can swing your way through courses with your PlayStation Move motion controller.
What's more, for those of you that own the PS Vita version, all of your downloadable content is cross-buy and will be unlocked in the PS3 version! The Vita patch version 1.06 will bring you up to speed with the PS3, enabling you to play with those on the PS3 version in the online tournaments.
What we think is one of the most exciting features is both PS Vita and PS3 can compete against each other online. And with such a vast array of online tournaments available, you'll never be short of brand new online rivalries! Take advantage of the Level 4 and Level 5 clubs and balls to get the edge over your buddies!
In true Hot Shots Golf tradition, there will be a vast amount of tournaments, loads of equipment and unique characters and of course we will be providing new content and tournament through our regular updates.
We look forward to seeing you on the golf course!

subset: commoncrawl


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Ambassador Ron Prosor, who serves as the Ambassador of the State of Israel to the UK, spoke at the Herzliya Conference this week, during a panel entitled "On Criticism and Prejudice: The Arab-Israeli Conflict and the Assault on Israel's Legitimacy."
In his talk, Prosor sarcastically referred to the "absurdities" against Israel that are reported in the media all over the world, an example of which being the recent incidents in which sharks attacked vacationers in the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt blamed these attacks on Israel's foreign intelligence agency, the Mossad.
He noted the difference between the feelings of the public and the feelings of the government.
"The governments in Europe, and I would advocate that, are much more positively inclined to the State of Israel in comparison to the public domain – to the media, to what is happening at the university level," said Prosor.
Prosor also presented his idea of what the response should be to those "hardcore delegitimizers" as he put it.
"It's important to out them, name them, and shame them so that respectable organizations don't coordinate with them," he said. "My point here is that our adversaries are crossing the red lines all the time and we have to call it, because if we don't, we risk losing what we really stand for."
Prosor ended by calling on everyone to work together. "If we work together we might be able to really target the people who are trying to delegitimize us and to demonize us," he said. "This is a battlefield and we have to conduct ourselves in this battlefield because this has become an integral part of Israel's national security."


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The house itself is a broad, low, rambling frame mansion with a clapboard exterior and was built in two halves. The first half, which was built in 1796, forms the western six bays of the main façade. These were increased in size due to mid-19th-century restoration, when the house also received a southward extension that almost doubled its size. The unusually long gallery is supported by an exceptional cast-iron railing of elaborate grape-cluster design. It is the interior detailing, however, which is perhaps the most important feature of the Myrtles Plantation. Most of the ground floor rooms have fine marble, arched mantles in the Rococo Revival style, with central console keystones or cartouches. Most of the rooms have plaster-ceiling medallions, no two of which are the same. All of the flooring and most of the windows in the house are original. The Myrtles Plantation is an outstanding example of the expanded raised cottage form that characterized many Louisiana plantation houses by the mid-19th century. The plantation house is touted as one of the most haunted houses in America, as it was the scene of a Reconstruction-era murder and other more natural deaths that have entered into local folklore over the years. Restored to its 1850s grandeur, complete with fine French furnishings and chandeliers, the Myrtles enhances its haunted-house reputation with candlelight mystery tours. The Myrtles Plantation is located off US 61 North, in St.Francisville. It is open daily for tours 9:00am to 5: 00pm, with mystery tours at 8:00pm Friday and Saturday evenings; there is a fee for admission. The Myrtles also offers bed and breakfast accomodations, and a restaurant (closed Monday and Tuesday). Please call 225-635-6277 for further information. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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November 13, 2013
Kansas Forest Service accountant Sandy Chandler to retire
Sandy Chandler, accountant, is retiring on Jan. 3, 2014, from Kansas State University with 40 years of service, 30 of those years with the Kansas Forest Service.
You are invited to Chandler's retirement reception on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the Kansas Forest Service state office, 2610 Claflin Road, Manhattan. The retirement reception is from 1:30-3:30 p.m. with refreshments.
Mark your calendars and plan to come celebrate with Chandler for her 30 years of administrative and accounting service with Kansas State University and the Kansas Forest Service. For more information, please contact Cathy Sandoval, office manager at 785-532-3300.
You also are invited to express your gratitude and congratulations to Chandler by letter. We will be consolidating letters into a notebook that she can enjoy in the years ahead. Please provide an unfolded letter with margins of 1.5 inch on the left and 1 inch in the right.
Please mail letters to Danni Prockish, student accountant, 2610 Claflin Road, Manhattan, KS 66502 or email it by Wednesday, Nov. 27.


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Nickelodeon Renews "The Thundermans" for Second Season
Network Orders 20 Episodes of Newest Live-Action Series
Santa Monica, Calif. – December 20, 2013 – Nickelodeon has ordered a second season of superhero comedy The Thundermans, it was announced today by Russell Hicks, Nickelodeon's President of Content Development and Production. Created and executive produced by three-time Emmy Award-winner Jed Spingarn (Big Time Rush, Jimmy Neutron) and executive produced by Dave Hoge and Dan Cross (Just Jordan, Pair of Kings), the scripted half-hour series has been picked up for an additional 20 episodes and follows a pair of superhero twins, Phoebe (Kira Kosarin) and Max Thunderman (Jack Griffo). With opposite personalities, they must navigate their way through school, friends and a family of extraordinary superheroes, all while keeping their true identities a secret. The Thundermans airs regularly Saturdays at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.
"Kids have taken to Kira and Jack's hilarious sibling rivalry since the show's premiere last month," said Hicks, President, Content Development and Production, Nickelodeon. "We look forward to another comedic superpowered season only the Thundermans family can deliver — complete with freezing antics, super speed flying and staying out of telekinesis trouble!"
Season to date the series is averaging 2.1 million total viewers and is posting double-digit gains with K2-11 (3.7/1.2M, +14%) and K6-11 (4.7/928K, +19%). The Thundermans will begin airing on Nickelodeon's international channels in the winter of 2014.
Phoebe and Max Thunderman are 14-year-old fraternal twins turbocharged by freeze breath and the power to move objects via telekinesis. Brother Billy (Diego Velazquez) moves at super speed, while younger sister Nora (Addison Riecke) cuts solid objects with her laser beam eyes. Rounding out the family are parents Hank (Chris Tallman), who possesses extraordinary strength and the ability to fly, and Barb (Rosa Blasi), who can generate lightning from her hands.
Nickelodeon, now in its 34th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 18 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).


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May 1, 2013
National Academy of Sciences selects Mary Lidstrom, David Kaplan
The University of Washington's Mary Lidstrom and David Kaplan are among the 84 new members and 21 foreign associates from 14 countries just announced by National Academy of Sciences. Members are named for their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research, according to the academy.
Lidstrom is vice provost for research and a professor of chemical engineering and microbiology. Her research focuses on developing environmentally friendly and economically viable alternatives to chemical fuels. Lidstrom was elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences in 2011. She also is a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Lidstrom has been at the UW twice, from 1978 to 1985 and again since 1996. She received her bachelor's in microbiology from Oregon State University and her master's and doctorate in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin.
Kaplan is a professor of physics and the director of the UW's Institute of Nuclear Theory. He did his undergraduate work at Stanford University and earned a doctorate in physics from Harvard University in 1985. He joined the UW faculty in 1994 and became director of the Institute for Nuclear Theory in 2006. Kaplan's research focuses on the application of quantum field theory to the strong interaction, lattice field theory, cosmology and physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. The Standard Model is the well-tested theory of the strong, weak and electromagnetic interactions that predicted the existence of the Higgs boson, which was discovered last year at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Physics • Office of Research


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After it finally became clear that Terry McAuliffe was definitely going to win the Virginia governor's race on Tuesday night, one of the big debates that instantly popped up was whether or not the floundering of ObamaCare had an eleventh-hour impact that tightened the race into such a surprisingly competitive contest, and in that vein, whether 2014-minded Democrats should have cause for encouragement or alarm. On the one hand, once the heavily Virginian-afflicting government shutdown subsided and the media began to turn to stories of ObamaCare in full force, Cuccinelli made ObamaCare the focal point of his closing arguments and emphasized his champion-status in trying to thwart the legislation. On the other hand, it's possible that neither the shutdown nor ObamaCare punched above their weight, and both internal Democratic polling and exit polling data suggest that the electorate may have already been locked in by the final stages of the contest.
Krauthammer, however, went for the former argument on Fox News last night, via RCP:
Look what happened last night in Virginia. Obamacare single handedly — only a slight exaggeration, turned what should have been a landslide into a cliffhanger. Cuccinelli was behind by double digits after the shutdown really hurt him in northern Virginia, where there are a lot of government workers. He was way behind. He decided to gamble it all in the last week attacking Obamacare. He came to the point where by 10:00 last night, he was actually ahead in the count, and then he lost narrowly. That's all due to Obamacare. And this is not new. Four years ago in Virginia and New Jersey, Obama campaigned for the Democratic candidates for governor and they both lost. And the issue was the beginning of the Tea Party revolt, the issues were the stimulus, high taxation, high spending and it was Obamacare. So this is now the second time Obamacare is striking and it's going to continue to strike. It petered away after the last time because it was all in theory, it wasn't happening, it was suspended. But it's happening now. And unless they stop the avalanche here, the Democrats are going to get buried in this.


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Ever the innovator, L.A.-based DJ John Tejada throws the dance music world a real curveball, sliding past his critically-acclaimed 203. minimal techno scorcher Fairfax Sake on Playhouse to deliver an all-digital album. "Logic Memory Center is sort of what I call my computer album," says Tejada of his 10th full-length. "One concept behind it was to move away from my synth work and concentrate on sound design."
Somewhere between the funk of Matthew Dear or Luke Vibert and the pragmatic minimalism of Ricardo Villalobos and Richie Hawtin, Logic Memory Center caters to those who like their techno upbeat, modern, and tight. Tejada imbues Logic Memory Center with an air of breaking stylistic ground like Detroit gods...
Product Categories: Albums, Digital, John Tejada
© 2011 Plug Research. All Rights Reserved. - Contact us - Customer Service - GD-


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Media mogul Rupert Murdoch has tapped his son Lachlan to take on the positions of non executive chairman at both News Corp and 21st Century Fox, the two companies where the elder Murdoch serves as chairman, in a possible signal of his succession plans.
Additionally, Rupert Murdoch named his other son James as co-chief operating officer at 21st Century Fox (FOXA), the company that includes the Fox broadcast network, Fox News, Fox Sports 1 and the Fox movie studio.
Rupert Murdoch, 83, will retain his chairman positions at the two companies as well as the CEO post at 21s Century Fox. Chase Carey, who has long been Murdoch's No. 2, will retain his post as president and chief operating officer at 21st Century Fox.
Related: Murdoch buys $57 million NYC condo
Lachlan Murdoch, 42, has been a director of both companies, but he essentially left his family's media empire in 2005 and started a private investment company.
21st Century Fox and News Corp (NWS) were split into two separate companies in 2013 after the company was rocked by a phone hacking scandal that forced it to close its London tabloid, News of the World. James Murdoch, 41, who at the time was seen as the likely successor to his father rather than his older brother, was caught up in that scandal. He had served as chief executive of the publishing unit which oversaw News of the World.
Related: Rupert and Wendi Murdoch finalize divorce
Both James Murdoch and his father were forced to testify before the U.K. Parliament about the scandal. After that, James resigned from both his print position as well as his position as chairman of the British broadcaster BSkyB following that scandal. About a third of shareholders of the old News Corp., which included both parts of the media empire, voted against Lachlan and James' re-election to the board. The company settled more than 100 phone hacking cases with some of Britain's top celebrities last year.


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A medicine cabinet not only provides a safe place to keep medication and first-aid supplies, but it is also useful for any small items that need to be kept at hand yet out of sight or away from small children. Medicine cabinets are ideal for storing makeup or toiletries and often incorporate lights or mirrors.
Medicine cabinets are available in various sizes and styles. A surface-mount cabinet is uncomplicated to install and can easily be retrofitted to bathrooms, powder rooms or downstairs lavatories. The Fine Fixtures Bathroom Medicine Cabinet is an excellent choice with twin mirrored doors and integrated LED lights. It is available in two sizes and has three adjustable tempered-glass shelves.
First decide where you would like to install your medicine cabinet. Above the sink in bathrooms and washrooms is the most common location. However, the variety of designs and materials available nowadays means a medicine cabinet can easily be used elsewhere in the home, too.
Once you have chosen a location for your medicine cabinet, then you can decide on size. Cabinets that are designed to mount above a sink are usually quite shallow and similar in size to a vanity mirror. Alternatively, corner-mounted or floor-to-ceiling cabinets will generally offer much greater capacity.
Medicine cabinets may have one, two or three doors. Mirrored doors are the best choice for cabinets mounted above a sink, whereas solid, paneled or glass doors may suit other locations better. Because unhindered access to your medicine cabinet is crucial in an emergency, locking doors are not advisable.
Some medicine cabinets are available with built-in lights. Mirrored cabinets may be backlit or have an illuminated border, whereas other designs incorporate spotlights, LED panels or downlights that can be adjusted in hue and intensity.
The depth and number of shelves is another key factor when selecting a medicine cabinet. Compact cabinets may only have one or two narrow shelves, which limits functionality. Look for a cabinet with adjustable and removable shelves, as this allows them to be placed at the ideal height or removed completely to accept taller items such as shampoo bottles.
Many cabinets can be upgraded with additional features such as dimmable or multicolored lights, touchless controls and Bluetooth speakers. Some can even be controlled via your mobile phone. However, many of these features require the cabinet to be permanently wired to your home's electrical system, which may make the installation more challenging.
Basic medicine cabinets with a solid door can be found for as little as $50. For a model with a mirrored door for use in a bathroom, expect to pay up to $300. A high-quality cabinet with dimmable lights and touchless controls can easily cost more than $1,000.
A. This depends on the type of cabinet and the location. Most cabinets can be installed with two or four fasteners. Bathrooms, however, often have tiled walls, so this will require the use of a special drill bit. If the cabinet has lights or other electronic features, then a power supply will also need to be connected, which may require professional installation.
A. As a rule of thumb, cabinets above a bathroom sink should be installed 72 inches off the floor. Elsewhere in the home, it is a matter of personal choice. If you have small children, then ideally it should be installed well out of their reach.
A. Many medicine cabinets can be recessed or surface-mounted. The main difference is recessed options have unfinished sides, which may look unsightly if surface-mounted. Before installation, make sure that the door isn't hindered in any way and can open fully.
Fine Fixtures Bathroom Medicine Cabinet
What you need to know: Made from moisture-resistant aluminum, this cabinet has twin mirrored doors with built-in LED lights.
What you'll love: It is available in two sizes and has three removable glass shelves and an internal light.
What you should consider: The lights are not adjustable and may be too dim for some.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Pegasus Silver Medicine Cabinet
What you need to know: This versatile cabinet can either be surface-mounted or recessed. It has a mirrored front door.
What you'll love: At 5 inches deep, it is suitable for use over a bathroom sink. It has adjustable shelves and a soft close door.
What you should consider: This model does not incorporate any lights.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
What you need to know: Available in various sizes, this modern cabinet is made from oak with a waterproof sealant.
What you'll love: It has three mirrored doors with a row of six lights above. It has two full-length shelves inside.
What you should consider: The shelves can't be removed or adjusted in height.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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Chris Gillespie writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.


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The War on Our Southern BorderBy Alan Caruba May 18, 2009Among the latest news out of Mexico was the discovery of four U.S. citizens found in a van, strangled, beaten and stabbed in the border city of Tijuana. The victims, ages 19 to 21, were two men and two women from San Diego and Chula Vista areas. In 2008, 6,292 Mexicans were killed in the drug wars between the drug cartels. In the first eight weeks of 2009, there were already a thousand casualties, some of them beheaded. By way of comparison, in six years of war in Iraq, this exceeds U.S. losses by more than three thousand. In mid-March, however, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, third in the line of succession to lead the nation, told a crowd of legal and illegal Hispanics that enforcement of federal or even local laws regarding immigration is "un-American." She called the illegal aliens in the audience, "very, very patriotic." No, Madame Speaker, the patriotic, indeed the constitutionally responsible thing to do is to enforce the laws of the nation. You even took an oath of office to do so. It is an open secret in Washington, D.C., that Obama and his fellow Democrat travelers in Congress want to push through an amnesty in order to increase the number of voters likely to support the Democrats in coming elections. Congress has a short memory and no doubt has conveniently forgotten the firestorm of protest that erupted when the Bush administration attempted the same thing. President Obama's proposed budget cancels plans to extend the border fence along the U.S.-Mexican border beyond the 670 miles already completed or planned. That leaves 1,277 miles open. In addition, the budget would end payments to states and communities to cover the cost of jailing illegal immigrants. Sooner or later, some innocent American bystanders in downtown Tucson or any other American city are going to get caught in a hail of bullets as Mexican narco gangs exchange fire in a territorial dispute. Then Americans will demand action. You may recall that was the feeling right after 9/11 in 2001. When I say "territorial dispute" I am referring to the network of American cities in which these gangs are currently operating. In April 2008, the Justice Department reported that Mexican drug cartels represent "the largest threat to both citizens and law enforcement agencies in this country and now have gang members in nearly 200 U.S. cities." Obama's response to this was a promise to take away their guns and I believe him because we are already witnessing efforts to take away everyone's guns. While calling for tougher border security, Obama so far is doing nothing beyond the management of a U.S.-Mexico agreement forged during the Bush administration. Meanwhile, his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, is saying stupid things to blame America for the chaos of Mexico, claiming that America "is at least as responsible as Mexico for the violent drug wars..." No, we are not responsible for Mexico's endemic corruption and its failure to crack down on the drug cartels many years ago. Forgive me if I have little confidence in any real action being taken by Obama's new director of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano. When she was Governor of Arizona, she called out the National Guard to back up the Border Patrol, but essentially had them man desks. It was a serious waste of manpower by all accounts. Currently she is calling for more motion sensors and aerial surveillance to spot those entering the nation illegally. That's just a bad joke. If the U.S. wants to avoid an all-out border war with the narco cartels, it needs to put up one very high fence along the 1,947 miles we share. I have even less confidence in the Mexican government to deal with the narco gangs. It isn't like they're not trying. Meeting with George Bush in 2007, the president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon, asked for help to fight the gangs and to his credit, he has been making a serious effort, deploying thousands of police and military, but at a terrific cost to their lives. It is, in the very truest sense of the word, a war. Mexico's drug war is closing in on becoming Obama's "Iraq;" a war not so much of choice as one that is integral to our national security. This is not an exaggeration. In December, four-star general (ret.) Barry McCaffrey and former national drug czar said that Mexico is on the verge of becoming a narco-state. An Adjunct Professor of International Affairs at West Point, McCaffrey released a report that predicted Mexico will be controlled by the narco gangs within a decade. "Chronic drug consumption in Mexico has doubled since 2002 as has cocaine use, while U.S. cocaine consumption has dropped by 70% in the past two decades. An estimated 5% of the Mexican population now consumes illegal drugs." Fully 90% of all U.S. cocaine use transits through Mexico and it is also a dominant source of methamphetamine production for the U.S. market. All this is occurring while Speaker Pelosi is encouraging illegal immigration and denouncing enforcement of our laws to prevent it! All this is occurring as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has released a report that border gangs were becoming increasingly ruthless, targeting rivals, along with federal, state and local police. Citing a dramatic rise in border violence over the past three years, it called it "an unprecedented surge." "Good fences make good neighbors" says the famous Robert Frost poem, Mending Wall, but a vastly increased border patrol and other steps are needed now to ensure the safety of Americans everywhere with the nation. It must be coupled with a renewed and vigorous effort to thwart the influx and to encourage as many of the estimated twelve million illegals living among us as possible to return home. Editor's Note: One of the best websites for information about this problem is www.borderfirereport.net. I recommend you bookmark and visit it to gain the insight and information necessary to demand congressional and White House action.
Alan Caruba is an American public relations counselor and freelance writer who is a frequent critic of environmentalism, Islam and research on global warming. In the late 1970s Caruba founded the PR firm The Caruba Organization, and in 1990, the National Anxiety Center, which identifies itself as "a clearinghouse for information about 'scare campaigns' designed to influence public policy and opinion" on such subjects as global warming, ozone depletion and DDT. |


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Through the CRM Lens
This is delicate and I will be scrupulously neutral in these paragraphs so as to offend no one, but I thought it would be fun to attempt an interpretation of the current political climate from the perspective and sensibilities of CRM. Can this really work? You be the judge. This will be different from any other analysis you might have come across because I do not wish to discuss candidates. I am all about the customer.
There are two CRM issues that inform politics this year and I have written about both—empowering the customer in Solve for the Customer—and engaging the customer to produce loyalty which I write about in my new book, You Can't Buy Customer Loyalty, But You Can Earn It (available in May). First empowerment.
It has been said so often that it is a cliché of our times that the power in most vendor-customer relationships has transitioned from vendors to customers thanks to the ubiquity of the Internet and social communities that readily share information, often cutting out the vendor in the process. This is not precisely what's been going on in politics because, as a free society we've always had an abundance of information, at least in theory, through a free press.
But in reality, until cable news appeared and the innumerable web outlets for every viewpoint, much was left unexplored because of space limitations in newspapers or time limits for newscasts thus information was held closely with some cooperation from the fourth estate. You need look back no further than the nature of scandals of the last several decades and compare them to the kiss and tell histories of earlier times to know that many opportunities to show political leaders had feet of clay were in olden times avoided.
So political customers, like people in every other aspect of life, have become empowered with information they never expected to have even a generation ago. This abundance of information has not served the political process very well based on this cycle but not because transparency is bad. Information has now shown that the political practitioners have for some time turned a blind eye to their customers. They have ceased to be engaged at precisely the same time that technology has made engagement more commonplace in almost every other aspect of life.
The failure to engage can now be seen clearly in the vitriol that the electorate express for establishment politicians. In issue after issue, one side or another has campaigned with promises to do better or to fix something and then failed to deliver. In the most non-controversial example I can find, the rising American living standard driven by increasing productivity in the workplace, has been replaced by a stagnation or outright decline that is well documented and keenly felt throughout the working and middle classes. This is analogous to a vendor repeatedly missing an opportunity to meet a customer's needs in a moment of truth. Such a repeated failure is lethal both to vendors and politicians.
The customer response has been a form of populism that expresses itself differently depending on one's position on opposite sides of the political divide. Worse, in many cases, the establishment's response is a tone-deaf attempt to bring voters back with still further promises of future benefits.
It's as if a customer has returned to a store with a defective product and all the vendor can think of doing is to offer a big discount on a future purchase. In the CRM world, when these tactics have been tried, customers have often gone bananas. You need only survey sentiment sites or search for your favorite company while appending the word "sucks" to see the lingering effect.
Solutions for the political process are analogous to repairing the vendor-customer relationship. First, acknowledge the problem and validate the customer. This means listening more than talking or marketing which is very hard to do once a live election is underway. But until you've listened you might not understand what needs to be fixed and you won't have the credibility to make the attempt in any event. It's easier to do this in business.
The next step is to quickly transition from diagnosis to prescription. This is also difficult, but not impossible, because it involves revising the traditional political scripts, which mostly deal with old pieties and not with specifics. It is complicated by the fact that at this point short attention span customers want actions and not plans, but such is the nature of elections.
Business is fortunate in that elections happen every day—customers buy or they don't, they engage or give up on you, but if you lose a relationship, you aren't out of it totally. Each new day is a chance in business to get it right with no need to wait until after an election which can be months in the future. Politicians should be so lucky.


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Researchers from Boston University's Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM) have demonstrated that induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can differentiate into definitive endoderm cells, in vitro, with similar functional potential when compared to embryonic stem cells (ESCs), despite minor molecular differences between the two cell types.
The findings are particularly important given growing controversy in the scientific literature about whether subtle differences between iPSCs and ESCs should dampen enthusiasm for iPSCs to serve as an alternative source of differentiated precursor cells for various tissues, such as the liver, lung or blood. The new work provides compelling evidence that iPSCs have potential in regenerative medicine as an investigational tool for the development of treatments against diseases that affect endodermal-derived organs, such as cirrhosis, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and emphysema.
Darrell Kotton, MD, an associate professor of medicine and pathology at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), served as principal investigator and senior author for this study, which is published online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI). Constantina Christodoulou, BS, from BUSM's program in genetics and genomics, was the lead author of the study.
iPSCs, discovered in 2006, are derived by reprogramming adult cells into a primitive stem cell state. They are similar to ESCs in terms of their ability to differentiate into different types of cells in vivo, including endoderm cells that give rise to liver and lung tissue. iPSCs do not require embryos and they are genetically identical to the patient's cells, suggesting their future potential to be transplanted back into the same patient without risk of rejection. Additionally, iPSCs could reduce the reliance on ESCs, which remain highly controversial and have limited availability due to federal regulation.
Recently, however, there has been debate regarding whether the molecular differences found in iPSCs make them as functional for research as ESCs when used in regenerative medicine research.
Kotton and his colleagues set out to understand the limits and potential of iPSCs and whether they should be utilized in research as a basis for the development of potential therapies. They focused their research on the capacity of iPSCs to undergo differentiation in vitro into endodermal tissue.
Working together with the laboratory of Gustavo Mostoslavsky, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at BUSM, the teams of CReM investigators generated their own iPSC lines by reprogramming skin fibroblasts using a special stem cell cassette vector (STEMCC). They interrogated the global gene expression profiles of each cell line during endodermal differentiation and also compared the resulting cells to authentic endoderm from early developing mouse embryos.
"We found that although there are subtle molecular differences between iPSCs and ESCs, their functional potential to differentiate was virtually indistinguishable in vitro," said Kotton, who is a co-director of CReM. "It is important to understand that iPSCs offer many possibilities in regenerative medicine and developmental biology research and may hold the key to future medical treatments for many human diseases."
The next step, said Kotton, is to further differentiate iPSCs into more specific cell types using both mouse and human stem cell lines. CReM currently has 100 stem cell lines from donors with lung-specific diseases that will be used in the research to develop potential treatments against diseases that affect the lungs.
The CReM-led research was done in collaboration with other researchers at BU, including the laboratory of Avi Spira, MD, chief of computational biomedicine at BUSM, the laboratory of Paul Gadue, PhD, at the University of Pennsylvania and the laboratory of Valerie Gouon-Evans, PhD, at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
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And while we still haven't found the perfect solution:
We are certainly living in a golden age of precipitation-repelling technology. Given this, in the interest of preserving this water-averse watershed for posterity, I have undertaken a brief survey of some of the more innovative products currently available--products such as the LeafXPro:
LEAFXPRO ACCESSORIES from LEAFXPRO on Vimeo.
With features this handy and smart optional storm accessory that makes you look like you're riding around in a sling:
Then there's the Nubrella, which you can incorporate into any activity, not just cycling:
Nubrella Hands Free Weather Protection from Christina Ricci on Vimeo.
And yeah, it's basically just a giant hat:
Albeit one that looks like some kind of robotic space nautilus is eating your head, but yes, still just a hat:
Indeed, it's enough of a hat that if the tax on umbrellas was 50% and the tax on hats was 5% you could totally make a compelling argument to the IRS that you only have to pay the latter.
Of course you may be wondering why anybody would bother with any of this stuff instead of, say, wearing a raincoat, but why do that when you can wear an umbrella?
As seen on Philadelphia local news:
If nothing else, the Under-Cover undermines pretty much every stereotype about German engineering.
By the way, I tried to find the Under-Cover on Kickstarter, but all I saw was this changing kilt for prudish bros:
Frankly I think it works better as a garment:
And if nothing else that entire video is just an advertisement for the importance of riding in regular clothes.
Anyway, amid all this innovation you've got to appreciate the unapologetically poor design of the Uberhood, which I've featured before on this blog:
I should really get one of these for my Jones bars.
Speaking of products I've been trying, remember the Renovo?
And remember how I said I'd conduct a thorough investigation into why it's creaking?
Well, it's a long story, but the sort version is that instead Renovo are going to take the bike back and figure it out for me. Then once they have I'll report back and let you know. In the meantime I'll refrain from speculating as to the cause, and for the time being consider the test on hold.
At this point I'd like to point out that by the time my environmentally sustainable wooden bicycle is done flying back and forth across the country it will have the carbon footprint of a herd of yetis.
(And that's not even accounting for all the crabon fiber on the bike.)
As for the Jones bars:
I continue to love them, and even though I think my position's working well as is I'm still going to try a shorter stem in deference to their philosophy. Hey, maybe they'll feel even better that way, who knows? I'm nothing if not open minded.
And there you have it.


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Kelley Winters, Ph.D.
GID Reform Advocates
The classification of gender diversity and nonconformity to birth-assigned gender roles as mental illness by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has drawn growing protest and outrage from transpeople and and allies worldwide. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the APA, is regarded as the medical and social definition of mental disorder throughout North America and strongly influences international diagnostic nomenclature. The fifth edition of the manual, the DSM-5, is in development and scheduled for publication in 2013. While the diagnostic category of Gender Identity Disorder (GID) has garnered most of the controversy, a second category of so-called Transvestic Fetishism (TF) has harmed transwomen, including transsexual women, as well as male-to-female crossdressers, dual gender and gender nonconforming people since the earliest days of the DSM. Trans and LGB advocates have been inexplicably quiet about the TF category, even after the APA proposed to expand the category in the DSM-5, renamed Transvestic Disorder, to implicate gender nonconforming people of all sexes and all sexual orientations.
The proposed DSM-5 diagnosis of Transvestic Disorder, even worse than its predecessor Transvestic Fetishism, labels gender expression not stereotypically associated with assigned birth sex as inherently pathological and sexually deviant. The diagnosis is punitive and scientifically capricious, serving to punish social and sexual gender nonconformity and enforce binary stereotypes of assigned birth sex. Here are ten reasons why the Transvestic Disorder diagnosis should be eliminated entirely from the DSM-5.
1. Diagnosis of Diversity
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), formerly the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association, (HBIGDA), publishes recognized standards of medical transition care for those who need it. In May, 2010, WPATH issued the following pivotal statement on de-psychopathologisation of gender variance,
The WPATH Board of Directors strongly urges the de-psychopathologisation of gender variance worldwide. The expression of gender characteristics, including identities, that are not stereotypically associated with one's assigned sex at birth is a common and culturally-diverse human phenomenon which should not be judged as inherently pathological or negative. The [psychopathologisation] of gender characteristics and identities reinforces or can prompt stigma, making prejudice and discrimination more likely, rendering transgender and transsexual people more vulnerable to social and legal marginalisation and exclusion, and increasing risks to mental and physical well-being. WPATH urges governmental and medical professional organizations to review their policies and practices to eliminate stigma toward gender-variant people.
Gender expression that differs from social expectations of assigned birth sex does not meet any medical or scientific definition of mental pathology. Difference is not disease.
2. Stigma of Sexual Deviance
Transvestic Disorder is classified as a "paraphilic" sexual disorder, grouped with diagnoses of such harmful behaviors as pedophilia and exhibitionism. The resulting stereotypes of sexual deviance deny human dignity and civil justice to transgender and gender variant people, including transsexual individuals, who consequently lose their jobs, homes, families, children, freedoms and access to public accommodation.
In the United States, these false stereotypes were exemplified in a full-page newspaper ad campaign in 2008 by Focus on the Family, a political extremist group opposed to civil rights for transpeople in the state of Colorado. A transwoman was depicted in a photo as a disheveled suspicious male in dirty work boots, lurking in a women's restroom as a little girl stepped out of a stall. The ad contained the headline, "Colorado Just Opened Its Bathrooms to Either Sex!" with the phrase, "sexual predator." The association of transwomen with sexual predation and threat to children was in reference to the association of transwomen with "paraphilia" in the DSM.
3. Denial of Civil Justice
In the DSM-III, the APA stated, "The crucial issue in determining whether or not homosexuality per se should be regarded as a mental disorder is not the etiology of the condition, but its consequences and the definition of mental disorder." Tragically, the APA has neglected to apply this same logic to the consequences of psychopathologization of gender variance and nonconformity.
For example, Andrea Lafferty, of the extremist Traditional Values Coalition, exploited the TF and GID diagnostic categories to oppose national employment nondiscrimination legislation for GLBTQ Americans in a CBS News interview this year. Lafferty cited the APA while repeating that transpeople have "a serious mental disorder" and represent a threat to children. In fact, the current TF and GID nomenclature have played a pivotal role in the ongoing defeat of the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) in the U.S. Congress, as opponents have focused on sensational false stereotypes of mental illness and sexual deviance rather than direct attack against gay and lesbian people.
4. Pathologization of Ordinary Behaviors.
The supporting text of the Transvestic Fetishism diagnosis describes behaviors that would be ordinary or even exemplary for cisgender women as symptomatic of mental disorder for transgender women and gender nonconforming males. These include wearing female clothing, dressing entirely as females, wearing makeup, expressing feminine mannerisms and appearing publicly in a feminine role. The text goes so far as to list "involvement in a transvestic subculture" among pathological "transvestic phenomena." It is not clear how the very same behaviors and social/political affiliations can be pathological for one group of people and not for others.
5. Harm to Transsexual Women
The proposed Transvestic Disorder category is not limited to crossdressers or male-identified people. It also targets transsexual women with a specifier of "autogynephilia," a deeply offensive label that sexualizes ordinary and customary social gender expression and promotes a poorly supported and socially defamatory theory that transsexual women transition to satisfy a sexual fetish rather than attain harmony with their experienced gender identity. The label of Transvestic Fetishism has also been used to deny medical transition treatment for transsexual indivicuals who need it. For example, the diagnosis was cited by Federal attorneys against Ms. Rhiannon O'Donnabhainn in her recent landmark case in U.S. Tax Court. They used the TF category to promote a false stereotype of fetishism to argue that corrective transition surgeries for transsexual women are not medically necessary.
6. Harm to Transmen
In June of this year, the phrase "in a male," in reference to birth-assigned sex, was removed from criterion A for the proposed Transvestic Disorder without explanation. As a result, transmen and masculine or butch women may now be implicated with Transvestic Disorder because of the clothes they wear. A new specifier of "with autoandrophilia" was added to the diagnostic criteria to target transsexual men, much as the specifier of "autogynephilia" would target and defame transsexual women.
7. Harm to Non-erotically Motivated Crossdressers
Ambiguous language in Criterion A of the APA Transvestic Disorder proposal implicates sexual expression "involving" crossdressing, without evidence of causation. Thus, virtually any gender expression among bigender, dual-gender or genderqueer people that is coincident with any kind of a sex life may be inferred as diagnosable, whether erotically motivated or not.
It is apparent that DSM authors have long intended for the TF diagnosis to implicate non-erotic or ambiguously erotic crossdressing as a fetishistic psychopathology. For example, the DSM-IV Casebook recommended a Transvestic Fetishism diagnosis for a male-identified subject whose crossdressing was not necessarily sexually motivated.
8. Harm to Erotically Motivated Crossdressers
Crossdressing that is erotically motivated is a benign consensual sexual expression that does not rise to the definition of mental illness. There is no scientific justification for labeling this behavior as mentally or sexually pathological. The DSM-IV-TR states, "Neither deviant behavior … nor conflicts that are primarily between the individual and society are mental disorders unless the deviance or conflict is a symptom of dysfunction…"
9. Harm to Ego-Dystonic (self-unaccepting) Crossdressers
The APA proposal for Transvestic Disorder, pathologizes ego-dystonic crossdressers, who are distressed by internalized shame and societal transphobia, very much as the previous diagnosis of Ego-Dystonic Homosexuality in the DSM-III pathologized victims of social homophobia. Ego-Dystonic Homosexuality was removed entirely from the DSM-III-R in 1987, because it inexorably associated all same sex orientation with pathology and because "almost all people who are homosexual first go through a phase in which their homosexuality is ego-dystonic." The very same logic should apply to the Transvestic Disorder diagnosis in the DSM-5. It would be tragic for the APA to perpetuate a diagnosis so analogous to Ego-Dystonic Homosexuality of the last century.
10. Implicit Endorsement of Gender-Reparative Therapies
In 2008, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) released public statements that, "…the DSM is a diagnostic manual and does not provide treatment recommendations or guidelines." In fact, however, diagnostic nomenclature and treatment are inseparably related. The efficacy of all drug and psychotherapy treatments are judged according to specific diagnostic criteria listed in the DSM and ICD. The diagnostic criteria for the proposed Transvestic Disorder in the DSM-5 favor gender-reparative therapies that serve to repress gender nonconforming fantasies, urges and behaviors, described in criterion A. Bigender, dual gender or gender variant individuals who are not shamed into repression but are distressed by external societal intolerance, would perpetually meet the criteria regardless of how happy and functional they might otherwise be.
It is time to call upon the APA leadership to reject the proposed diagnostic category of Transvestic Disorder and remove nomenclature from the DSM that casts crossdressing and gender role nonconformity in themselves as mental disorder.
Appendix A: DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic Criteria for Transvestic Fetishism
- A. Over a period of at least 6 months, in a heterosexual male, recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving cross-dressing.
- B. The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning
- Specify if: With Gender Dysphoria: if the person has persistent discomfort with gender role or identity
Appendix B: Proposed DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria for Transvestic Disorder
- A. Over a period of at least six months, recurrent and intense sexual fantasies, sexual urges, or sexual behaviors involving cross-dressing.
- B. The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.:
- Specify if:
- With Fetishism (Sexually Aroused by Fabrics, Materials, or Garments)
- With Autogynephilia (Sexually Aroused by Thought or Image of Self as Female)
- With Autoandrophilia (Sexually Aroused by Thought or Image of Self as Male)
- Specify if:
- In Remission (During the Past Six Months, No Signs or Symptoms of the Disorder Were Present)
- In a Controlled Environment
American Psychiatric Association (1987). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised, Washington, D.C., p. 426.
American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Washington, D.C., p. xxii.
American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, Washington, D.C., pp. xxxi, 574-5.
American Psychiatric Association (2008), "APA STATEMENT ON GID AND THE DSM-V,"http://www.psych.org/MainMenu/Research/DSMIV/DSMV/APAStatements/APAStatementonGIDandTheDSMV.aspx , May 23
American Psychiatric Association (2010) "DSM-5 Development; Proposed Revisions, 302.3
Transvestic Fetishism," http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=189
Blanchard, R. (1989). "The Classification and Labeling of Nonhomosexual Gender Dysphoria," Archives of Sexual Behavior, v. 18 n. 4, p. 322-323.
Cordes, N., CBS News (2010). "Washington Unplugged," April 20 http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6414895n (audio excerpts of Andrea Lafferty, of the Traditional Values Coalition, repeating slurs of mental disorder are available at http://www.gidreform.org/cbslafferty1.mp3 )
DeCuypere, G., Knudson G., & Bockting, W. (2010). "Response of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health to the Proposed DSM 5 Criteria for Gender Incongruence," http://www.wpath.org/documents/WPATH%20Reaction%20to%20the%20proposed%20DSM%20-%20Final.pdf
Focus on the Family Action (2008). Colorado Springs, CO, http://www.citizenlink.com. Photo available online athttp://www.gidreform.org/2008FOFsb2006.jpg
Lev, A., Alie, L., Ansara, Y., Deutsch, M., Dickey, L., Ehrbar, R., Ehrensaft, D., Green, J., Meier, S., Richmond, K., Susset, F., Winters, K. (2010). Professionals Concerned With Gender Diagnoses in the DSM Statement on Transvestic Disorder in the DSM-5,http://gidconcern.wordpress.com/statement-on-transvestic-disorder-in-the-dsm-5/
Serano, J. (2009). "Autogynephilia' and the psychological sexualization of MtF transgenderism," International Foundation for Gender Education 2009 Conference, Alexandria VA, March, http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/IFGE2009/Disordered_No_More.html#Julia
Spitzer, R., editor (1994), DSM-IV Casebook, A Learning Companion to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fourth edition), American Psychiatric Press, pp. 257-259.
Winters, K. (2008). Gender Madness in American Psychiatry: Essays from the Struggle for Dignity. CO: GID Reform Advocates, pp. 33-43.
Winters, K., (2010). "A Taxing Question of Medical Necessity," GID Reform Advocates Essay Series on Gender Diagnoses in the DSM-V, Feb 6,http://www.gidreform.org/blog2010Feb06.html
Winters, K. (2010). "Comments on the Proposed Revision to 302.3 Transvestic Fetishism," http://www.gidreform.org/201004APATFkwB.pdf
World Professional Association for Transgender Health (2010). "Statement Urging the De-psychopathologisation of Gender Variance,"http://wpath.org/
Petition site:
Register HERE with The APA to comment:
# # # # # # # # #
Back Ground Information
APA's DSM-5 Development Page
GID Reform.org


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One for the road, 2012.
No ugliness after negotiations ended in NYC today, so maybe both sides finally are serious and maybe there will be a season (just not a 2012-13 season since the first half of that numeric is about to pass).
Still, a couple related topics on the agenda here.
Took awhile, but I finally found someone from MLB to talk about Donald Fehr's style and tactics at the bargaining table. Got a blanket "no" from MLB's current front office, but a former commissioner, Fay Vincent, turned out to be up for the conversation.
The story is posted online at http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_22288482/don-fehrs-bargaining-style-not-making-an-nhl — but here are some of the highlights.
It's been two decades, of course, since Vincent dealt with Fehr, so keep that in mind. And while Bud Selig was the MLB commissioner who went to the mats with Fehr in the 1994 baseball strike, it was Vincent running things in the 1990 lockout that lasted 32 days and wiped out spring training.
Overall, Vincent praised Fehr for his integrity and his smarts. You got the sense there was genuine admiration there.
But Vincent also pointed out that it wasn't always about economics with Fehr, that he was devoted to the cause. And it's safe to say that can complicate things.
"He is a man of the left politically and temperamentally," Vincent said of Fehr. "He's very much convinced there is moral right on the side of the working player and that there are moral defects, if you will, on the side of the owners, the capitalists in baseball or hockey."
At the same time, he said owners make a mistake when they dig in their heels in negotiating with players — in baseball or hockey.
"The insight that everybody comes to ultimately is that without the players there is no game," Vincent said. "And you can fight with them only so long because you can't get along without them. If you ever want to have a game and you're an owner, you have to give them their way."
Vincent also said the NHL needed to cut its losses pronto.
"Make the best deal you can but don't let it go on very much longer," Vincent advised. "The hemorrhaging is very serious."
Vincent stressed that if the two sides are close, the league needs to make it happen. And he likened the situation to negotiating the deal on a house:
"If you fight over the last 5 percent, the odds are you're wrong. Because if you're right about the house, the last 5 percent aren't going to make a difference and if you're wrong, they're not going to make a difference either. The same thing is true in sports. There's a lot of posturing and we're not going to give in because we're going to win this debate.
"But a deal has got to be made."
I tried to reach Fehr for comment over the past week, but my timing was bad. First there was the Christmas break, then — after we set things up for a phone conversation last Friday — he was suddenly occupied with a new proposal from the NHL. With meetings today, my last attempt to connect fell short. At this point, though, my editors and I agreed the story should run. And if I do eventually talk with Fehr about what Vincent had to say, well, it's perfect for the blog at the very least.
*****If you missed it elsewhere, Torrey Mitchell signed with the San Francisco Bulls today and could play as soon as Wednesday night against the Colorado Eagles at the Cow Palace.
Yes, Ryane Clowe's presence there had something to do with it. But, no, it's not a sign that Mitchell — who signed a three-year, $5.7 million deal with the Minnesota Wild in January — thinks there won't be an NHL season.
In fact, he said he made the move so he'd be in better shape if the NHL does resume play sometime in mid-January.
More on that at http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_22288517/former-sharks-forward-torrey-mitchell-signs-san-francisco
*****That's a wrap for 2012. Happy New Year and maybe, just maybe, we can start focusing on third lines and the penalty kill sometime soon.


text:
"At the lower left, shielded by a translucent housing, is a carbon rod resistance that heats the colored alcohol in the glass vessel just above it. This causes some of the alcohol to vaporize, the pressure pushing the liquid up the connecting pipe to the vessel at top right. As the latter gets heavier the wheel bearing the four vessels experiences a torque that rewinds a remontoire spring driving a conventional gear train and escapement. This clock has a pendulum-controlled escapement, but models with balance wheel escapements also existed."
The firm of Jauch and Schmid was registered in 1930.
via Clock-Museum.co.uk
via DSELF
And thanks to Greg Blonder of Genuine Ideas and his similarly conceived thermoscopic solar motor inventions-->LINK
See also;
All Watchismo Times Clock Posts
All Escapement Posts
All Offbeat Posts
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Apple Applies For Storyboard Software Patent
Approval for its "Script-Integrated Storyboards" submission could mean better integration with its media applications like Final Cut Pro, Pages, iMovie, and Keynote.
January 29, 2009
Apple's Patent For Storyboarding | |
| |
Apple promotes third-party storyboard software like StoryBoard Artist, but the company may soon be competing with the makers of motion-picture visualization applications.
Thursday saw the publication of an Apple patent application, "Script-Integrated Storyboards."
Storyboards, a sequence of illustrated scenes, are used in film and video production to visualize the placement of equipment and talent. This helps control costs and allows the director to communicate his or her interpretation of the script. For many large-budget film productions, storyboards are as indispensable as blueprints are for complex construction projects.
While Apple has promoted storyboarding with its own applications -- Final Cut Pro, Pages, iMovie, and Keynote -- and those offered by third parties -- Illustrator, Toom Boom, and StoryBoard Artist -- it now appears that the company wants to deliver something more comprehensive, or perhaps better integrated with its products.
The "Script-Integrated Storyboards" patent application lists Gregory Lindley as one of the inventors. Lindley is, according to his 2006 resumé, a product designer at Apple who is working on "Ideation, Design, Prototyping, and Development of future version of Final Cut Express."
Final Cut Express 4, released in November 2007, doesn't have storyboarding capabilities similar to those described in the patent application. But it may be that Lindley and his co-inventors are working on improved storyboarding to add to the next version of Final Cut/Final Cut Express.
Apple also could be planning a dedicated storyboarding tool. An Apple spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
The Apple storyboarding application described provides a way for film and video directors or producers to designate the placement of cameras and actors that integrates with the script. Thus, rather than being a purely visual aid for those behind the lens, the storyboards Apple has in mind could serve both crew and actors. The patent explains that storyboards "may be distributed to actors and crew in advance of production to aid in preparation."
The obtuse language of the patent makes it difficult to determine what Apple has actually invented, but one passage appears to suggest a storyboarding application that includes some form of automatic scene generation.
"In one implementation, the actor placement tool includes a drop down control enabling the user to generate a projection of the actor engaged in one of several actions," the patent application states. "For example, a user may specify a sport in a first drop down control and an activity within the sport in a second drop down control. Projections of the scene then may project the actor engaged in the specified activity."
This seems to indicate some form of "tweening" -- a process used in animation to generate the frames in between a start frame and an end frame.
However, patent applications do not necessarily translate into products. And Apple as a rule does not comment on future product plans.
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text:
CHICAGO – It's Friday night in a dangerous Chicago neighborhood, and a steady stream of teenagers slip inside the gym at Kennicott Park.
Peorrie Celestine is among the first on the basketball court, and his father, Pierre, just loves to talk about his 13-year-old son's ability to dunk on an 8-foot rim. Duryea Wright, two years older, makes a couple of long 3-pointers despite the low ceiling, drawing a "You better guard him" comment from one of the boys waiting for a turn. Park Supervisor Renee Shepherd shuffles in and out, making sure everyone signs in on this chilly evening on Chicago's South Side.
About 80 teenagers are here as the games really get going. The bustling gym is, in fact, a sanctuary for some of them. A handful of players went to school with Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old drum majorette who performed at President Barack Obama's second inauguration and was gunned down in a nearby park just two months ago.
"Yeah, I knew her. It was sad," said Marcus Burks, 17, who attends King College Prep High School. "We was actually in here playing basketball when she got killed."
Welcome to Windy City Hoops.
A torrent of gang violence pushed Chicago above 500 homicides last year for the first time since 2008, then 40 more people were killed in the city's deadliest January in more than a decade. There was a drop in February and March, but the drumbeat of heartache kept going.
Pendleton was shot to death on Jan. 29 as she talked with friends after school in a park about a mile from Obama's Chicago home. Janay McFarlane, 18, was killed on the same February day that her 14-year-old sister attended a speech by Obama pushing for gun control legislation. A 6-month-old girl died on March 12 after a gunman ambushed her father while she was sitting in his lap in a minivan.
"It's a big concern, because I know like the stuff that goes on around here, I know it's like a war zone right now, different gangs and stuff like that," said Robert Milligan, 18, another King College student.
The violence captured the attention of one of Chicago's most famous basketball sons.
Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, who grew up on the city's West Side, helped organize two tournaments last summer that brought together members of rival gangs. But Thomas kept going from there.
"I had been to a basketball game at Christ The King where Isiah Thomas was there, but I had come early and he and I were talking," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, "and he made the offer to me, it goes back to November, he says 'You know I want to do anything to help kids, you know, get off the street, and whatever I can do, we're going to do.'"
A week or so later, Thomas and Emanuel met in the mayor's office and came up with an idea. They decided to start a fundraising campaign to expand the park district's Windy City Hoops program, taking it from a seasonal schedule to a year-round plan that offers boys and girls 13 to 18 a place to play organized basketball on Friday and Saturday nights.
The price tag is $480,000 and organizers are still more than $50,000 short. Two organizations pledged a total of $365,000, and an online campaign is shooting for $62,000, said Jessica Maxey-Faulkner, a spokeswoman for the park district.
The expanded program was launched last month at 10 parks, mostly on the South and West Sides of the city.
"Through basketball and just sports, we believe that if the people really get to know each other, particularly young people, they'll have a hard time killing each other," Thomas said. "Sports play has been taken out of the community, in terms of the park district, and what we want to do is just open up the park districts again and make them available."
The 10 sites were selected based on high crime levels, low median income and the facility itself. The park district is hoping each location will field at least eight teams of 10 for each of four sessions during the year.
U.S. cities have used sports to help fight gang violence for years. But there is still something hopeful about this program that potentially could take thousands of kids off the streets and put them in a gym for a couple nights each weekend.
"It doesn't so much curb youth violence as it gives good kids a place to go," Emanuel said.
You play the ball to the wall in the tiny gym at Kennicott Park, so pay no attention to the lines on the floor. It seems as if the white ceiling with intermittent light panels just clears the baskets on each side, so be careful on long shots. And it's going to be another week until the jerseys arrive, so take a good long look at your teammates so you know where to throw the ball.
There is a faded NBA sign in the corner and a painted Bulls logo in the middle of the court, a quiet reminder of all the great players who learned how to play in these same poor neighborhoods.
Things pick up when Javon Reynolds and Xavier Robinson hit the court.
First, Robinson, 17, sweeps in and dunks a missed 3-pointer, drawing wide grins and chuckles from the players lining one side of the court. Then the 18-year-old Reynolds, wearing a black T-shirt that reads "IT'S GOOD TO BE THE KING," thunders down the middle on the other end and throws down a ferocious right-handed jam, sending the boys on the side into even more of a tizzy.
They use a running clock for the Windy City games, so the duel between Robinson and Reynolds ends almost as quickly as it started. But the friends and former King teammates are grateful for the few plays to add to their collection.
"It's an honor, just to get us black kids off the street, you know, stop killing each other, and just a way to just hang out, play," Reynolds said.
This is how it's always been on the courts of Chicago: The kids watch, then they grow and become stronger. They take their lumps for a while, then start running the games themselves.
Some turn into household names.
Hall of Famers like George Mikan and Thomas. Maurice Cheeks. Mark Aguirre. Tim Hardaway. Today (Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose and Anthony Davis) and tomorrow (Jabari Parker and Jahlil Okafor).
"It was very fierce. I mean that's where you learn how to play at," said Wade, the winner of two NBA titles with the Miami Heat. "I used to go down and I had to play against guys way older than me. That's where you became, in a sense, a man.
"I grew up, being in Chicago, I used to go watch Scottie Pippen play outside. He was part of the Bulls then, so he would go out and play outside. It was against my father and them. I just watched that and that's where we knew, we knew that the blacktop was kind of where you had to make your name."
Thomas, 51, went from the parks and blacktops of Chicago to Indiana, where he helped the Hoosiers win the NCAA tournament in 1981. He played 13 years in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons, winning consecutive titles with the "Bad Boys" teams in 1989 and 1990.
That road started when he was just another kid playing hoops in his hometown.
"Sport is really about education and making sure that the kids go to school," Thomas said. "So what did I learn? I learned that there were more lawyers and doctors in my community and there were more hard-working people in my community than I ever realized because they were able to come to the sporting event or I had a chance to meet them at the park district and had a chance interact with them. They all reinforced the positive message that I was getting at home about how important education was."
That's the real message for players in the Windy City Hoops program, Wade said. The lessons he learned playing basketball translate to any career.
"What it does for kids," he said, "I mean by playing on a team, by understanding sacrifice, by understanding hard work, all these things you use in the workforce. All these things you use in real life."
Renee Shepherd stays busy while the games continue in the gym, and the referees keep order on the court. A police officer peeks in, and there's a security guard nearby.
Shepherd offers praise — "I saw you did good," she says to one kid — and the referees only smile when they receive suggestions from the gallery. There is plenty of contact, but it stops with the whistle. The play is civil and respectful, and Shepherd says the reason is their relationships with the teenagers.
"That's important. That's essential, the relationship building," she says. "I have a relationship with them as the supervisor, so it's important that I engage with them. ... My staff, they have a different rapport with them. They're out there sometimes, they come and they play with them, which they love because they love to beat them."
Shepherd chuckles as the games go on inside. The jerseys are on the way and teams will be chosen soon. "That's when they're really going to compete with each other," Shepherd says with a smile.
Welcome to Windy City Hoops.
Program: http://www.cityofchicago.org/hoops
Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap


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How Did Egyptians Move Heavy Rocks For The Pyramids?
The pyramids aren't just old, they're really really old: We are closer in time to Cleopatra than she was to the building of the first pyramids. That mind-boggling time-chasm might explain why the pyramids have proved to be a source of fascination and speculation for modern humans, who can't imagine how our ancient forefathers got anything done without technology, let alone building structures large enough to be seen from space.
Stacking the blocks into the towering iconic shape is often marveled at as a feat of mystery, but just assembling the necessary materials is equally miraculous.
For the Great Pyramid of Giza—which is thought to have been built over a span of two decades for fourth dynasty pharaoh Khufu—over 2,300,000 giant blocks of limestone and granite weighing an average of two and a half tons had to be transported to the site from quarries—some from places like Aswan, more than 500 miles away.
Archeological evidence suggests that the ancient Egyptians used crude wooden sleds to transport the heavy building blocks. But if you've ever dragged something through the sand, you can understand why these sleds might not have eased this task. The weight of the blocks would cause the sled to sink slightly and, as you dragged them, sand would accumulate in front of the sled, increasing the resistance.
A recent study in the journal Physical Review Letters proposes an explanation for how the Egyptians made use of the sleds that is based on a principle most people are familiar with: While dry sand is easily pushed around, wet sand is malleable but more rigid. This is why you need moist sand to give your sandcastles structural integrity at the beach. The correct ratio of water to sand—which is variable, but typically between 2 percent and 5 percent of the volume of sand—causes the water droplets to create capillary bridges that bind the individual grains of sand into a smoother, stronger surface.
In experiments, the force required to pull sleds across sand was reduced by a full 50 percent when the right amount of water was added. Not only would it make sense for the ancient Egyptians to have utilized this tactic, there's evidence to suggest that they did. A wall painting from the tomb of Djehutihotep shows a hoard of workers moving a statue of the Upper Egypt nomarch on a sled. While rows of workers are shown heaving heavy ropes attached to the statue, a single figure is painted perched atop the sled pouring what could certainly be water on to the ground in front of him.
"In fact, Egyptologists had been interpreting the water as part of a purification ritual, and had never sought a scientific explanation," Daniel Bonn, who led the study, told the Washington Post.
The science is sound, but that doesn't necessarily mean it overrules the Egyptologists' theories about Djehutihotep's wall painting or that it applies to the pyramids, which were built over 600 years before Djehutihotep lived. Most reports of the study have assumed that applying their findings to the pyramids is something of a foregone conclusion. Adding water to the sand to decrease friction certainly makes sense, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's what the Egyptians did.


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Please note, GPX Data is not refundable! Please examine the sample data on the device of your choice before purchasing GPX data packages. More information about GPX Data files can be found here.
After your GPX purchase, you can get GPX updates for free by re-downloading them from your My Adventure Cycling account.
GPX Data products consist of track and service waypoint files in gpx (GPS Exchange Format) file format to be used on a GPS device, smartphone, or tablet. These products are suggested as a companion product to the printed Adventure Cycling Route maps and feature the same services listed on the physical maps. More information about GPX Data for Devices can be found here.
This section offers some of the most accessible, fantastic mountain scenery available in Western Canada, following the spine of the northern Rocky Mountains. The Canadian parks with their wide road shoulders provide excellent cycling conditions, but tourist traffic is heavy. Fascinating side trips abound for natural and geological sightseeing, which include aerial trams and hiking onto glaciers. The route is a series of climbs and descents over passes into various river valleys. A spur into Banff is shown.
More information about this route is available here.
GPX Data Resources
* These products are delivered in compressed zip files. Instructions on extracting the data are located here.
**NOTE: Occasionally, the GPX data you purchase will be newer than the paper map currently being sold. They may still be used together. See the Tracks and Service Points FAQs for more information.**
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Helle Knives of Norway Helle knives Harding
Nice knives Helle. Made in Norway. They use a traditional method employing a narrow tang, capped at the end and they use mainly traditional materials for the handle, curly birch, leather, antler etc.
The steel of the blades is interesting, they clad a carbon ( high carbon.. Carbon -0.67%, Silicon -0.70%, Sulphur -0.002%, Phosphorous -0.19%, Manganese 0.44%, Nickel -0.28%, Chromium -0.28%, Molybdenum -0.52%). steel core, hardened to 58/59HRC with a soft, but very rust resistant and flexable 18/8 steel (18% chromium/8%nickel). This makes the blade strong and rust resistant, and protects the hard, sharp cutting edge.
The Harding makes an excellent hunting or camp knife
Blade Length: 10 cm
Overall Length: 21 cm
Handle: Curly Birch/Walnut/Leather
Blade: Triple Laminated Stainless Steel Blade
Includes Genuine Leather SheathNo warranty on the sheath


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While the world awaits new details surrounding the next-generation iPhone and a much rumored HDTV, news that Apple (AAPL) is developing an iOS-powered watch made the rounds on Sunday. The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times each pointed to multiple unnamed sources when reporting the news around the same time, and few details were made available. The Times merely said Apple is "experimenting with wristwatch-like devices made of curved glass" that will run iOS, and WSJ added that Apple has discussed the device with longtime manufacturing partner Hon Hai. The fact that these papers published their reports almost simultaneously suggests this may be a controlled leak, but a question remains: Does the world want an Apple watch?
Smart watches are nothing new. A number of companies including Motorola and Sony (SNE) have launched smart watches in recent years, but none of them have gained much traction. Positioned as companion devices for smartphones, these watches offer a number of compelling features and yet they still failed to draw any real consumer interest.
There are indications that a market exists for such a product, however, and the Pebble smart watch drew plenty of attention from the media after the team behind it raised more than $10 million on KickStarter and racked up more than 85,000 preorders. Those are big numbers, of course, but only in the context of a small startup.
Smart watches are undoubtedly niche products right now and the mass market is not clamoring for a new smartphone companion. Apple still seems interested in the space though, and this weekend's reports were the latest in a string of rumors to the same effect. The question, of course, is whether such a device will be the next iPhone or the next
Apple was a late entrant in the smartphone market, but it offered enough differentiation and enough compelling features that it spawned a revolution and reshaped the industry.
Apple was also a relatively late entrant in the set-top box market when it launched the
An "iWatch" could go either way. While there may be a niche market that has shown interest in smart watches that connect to a smartphone and offer a range of add-on functionality, mass-market consumers have given no indication that they are interested in such a device. But the same could have been said about tablets before Apple's iPad was released in 2010.
With the right feature set, real differentiation and a serious marketing budget, Apple may indeed have the next big thing if and when it unveils an iOS-powered smart watch. It's hardly a sure thing, however, and this weekend's "leaks" could very well be a play to take the market's temperature if Apple is still in the very early stages of development.[bgr-post-bug]


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- ON SALE - Las Calandrias Hacienda Oval Drop-in Bathroom Sink
Oval Drop-in
No Exchanges - No Returns
- Description
- Specs
- Matching Colors
- Reviews
Be aware that all of our sinks are handcrafted. Each sink will have its own unique characteristics - no two sinks are identical. Thus there will be color, size, and design variations compared to the photo shown.
Our exclusive elegant Hacienda Talavera Poblana Sinks are of unsurpassed exquisite design and detail. Each sink is painstakingly decorated by hand, and by only the most skilled artisan ceramists. It takes a high degree of expertise, experience and patience to produce one of these high quality relieve sinks; delaying three times longer than a Traditional Talavera sink. The high relieve talavera technique used to decorate our sinks provides texture and unparallel physical beauty not found in any other Talavera sinks. Decorating a sink of this kind requires patience and mastery. The artist meticulously applies each single drop of glaze, taking extreme care so that the glazes do not run off and mix with other glazes. Compared to traditional Talavera sinks our Mexican Hacienda collection sinks have a stronger body due to new raw materials, improved glazed formulas, and high fire at the kiln. Besides the superb quality, what truly makes these sinks one-of-kind treasures is the dexterity and creativity of the artisans who have created them. Buy your Mexican Hacienda sink today and appreciate it for life.
The Hacienda Mexican sink should be the focal point of your next bathroom or remodeling project. This bath sink was created by skillful master artisans, therefore accomplishing a beautiful functional work of art. Our collection of ceramic sinks is hand painted by utilizing the Talavera painting technique, which results is an impressive designed sink.
Tierrayfuego.com's collection of bathroom Mexican sinks is handcrafted and hand painted, therefore each sink is a unique functional piece. As with any handcrafted item, our Mexican ceramic sinks will have small variations in color, design, size, and weight. These bathroom sinks are made using the best materials in the industry. We have a large selection to choose with a wide range of designs and themes. Our bathroom ceramic sinks set apart from the standard with detailed designs and rich colors. They can be used in just about any setting, and are ideal to be the focal point of any bathroom.
Our talavera Mexican sinks are molded and painted by hand. They are made of ceramic and fired twice; once before they are decorated, and a second time after they are glazed. Talavera colors and shine will not fade with proper care. We recommend NOT to use abrasive cleaners, as they "eat-up" the finish.
- ON SALE - Las Calandrias Hacienda Oval Drop-in Bathroom Sink
Specifications | Description |
Size of Sink | 14x17 in. outside dimension, 6.25 in. outside height, 5 in. inside depth, 1 in. lip |
Drain Opening | 1.5 in. US Standard |
Overflow | 3 overflow holes |
Installation Type | Drop-in or tile-in |
Material | High fired ceramic. |
Finish | Hand Decorated Low Relief Designs. |
Care Recommendations | Clean with mild cleanser and damp cloth, do not use abrasive cleaners. |
Color, Size and Design Variation | Slight variations are expected for all Talavera Sinks. For instance, size, color and design are all likely to vary due to the hand made process. Please note shades of color are seen differently on computer monitors and therefore customers should request a sample before making a final selection or purchase. Lot variation in size and color may be present from shipment to shipment. There is no guarantee that sinks ordered as add-ons will match those from the original orders. |
FREE SHIPPING | In-stock orders ship within 1-2 business days. In order to receive FREE UPS Ground Shipping on this sink, anywhere in the lower 48 US states, please use Coupon Code: SHIPFREE at checkout. Appropriate shipping charges apply to all shipments to Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories. All other services will incur regular shipping costs, as quoted by UPS. Not valid on previous purchases, exchanges, or special orders. If customer returns any items from an order that received FREE GROUND SHIPPING, the original shipping savings associated with the returned item(s) will be deducted from the refund amount. We reserve the right to change or discontinue this free shipping offer at any time. |
Installing a Mexican Bathroom Countertop Sink | Since no template is provided with this sink, set the bowl upside down on the countertop and trace the outline, then draw a second line about 3/4 inch inside that line to serve as your cut line. |
Carefully drill a 3/8-inch starter hole inside the cut line. Using a saber saw, begin cutting along the line. After you have completed the cutting the hole, insert the sink into the hole in the countertop to test the fit. Make any adjustments if necessary. | |
Place a bead of plumber\'s putty around the bottom edge of the drain-assembly housing\'s lip, then press the housing into the drain hole. Attach the gasket and washer, then tighten the locknut. Be careful not to apply to much pressure because the drain hole may break. Remove any excess plumber\'s putty. Attach the tailpiece to the housing with the slip nut and washer. | |
If you haven\'t already done so, install the faucet. When the faucet is in place, turn the sink upside down and run a bead of silicone adhesive along the underside of the molded lip. Turn the sink over and carefully align it with the countertop\'s front edge. Press firmly around the lip to form a tight seal. After the adhesive has set, apply a bead of latex caulk around the edge, then smooth it with a wet finger. | |
Set the sink in place, firmly pressing down all edges to assure a secure seal. | |
These tips are meant as a helpful resource. Tierra y Fuego strongly suggests consulting a licensed contractor. |
Rust Talavera Mexican Tile
$0.63 - $157.14Item# 10812Quick Shop17.82(11) -
Mexican White Talavera Mexican Tile
$0.51 - $106.11Item# 10800Quick Shop19.11(18) -
Cobalt Blue Talavera Mexican Tile
$0.63 - $167.67Item# 10810Quick Shop19.60(10)
Frequently Bought Together:
ROHL Perrin & Rowe Edwardian Column Spout Widespread Lavatory Faucet
$1,060.76 - $1,326.15Item# U.3720LQuick Shop


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With the presidential campaign entering its last frenetic weeks, election watchers have decided there is not enough metaphorical snarling and jabbing between the current president and the man who would replace him. So observers have ginned up a competition between the wives.
It all began in earnest with a couple of bright pink dresses that Michelle Obama and Ann Romney wore to the second presidential debate. That debate was in October, which also happens to be Breast Cancer Awareness month, a time when the nation's landscape is aglow with symbolic pink merchandise, pink advocacy ribbons and pink rubber empowerment bracelets. Indeed, when President Barack Obama recently appeared on The Daily Show, a fuchsia bracelet dangled from his wrist.
So it was not surprising that Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Romney would have hot pink on the mind. (It also helps that it happens to be a color that photographs well--no small consideration for women in their position.) The first lady wore a Michael Kors sheath with a matching cropped jacket and traditional pearls. Mrs. Romney wore a short-sleeved, body conscious Oscar de la Renta dress with a necklace of green beads. They both looked lovely in this bold color, but decidedly different.
Nonetheless, they were subjected to more than a few who-wore-it-best analyses.
Most women, having come of age in the company of girls, know there are few things pettier—and meaner—than this sort of comparison. It is not an assessment of whether a woman looks her personal best or looks appropriate or has achieved whatever overarching goal she had set for her clothes in a given situation. It's the worst sort of involuntary beauty pageant cliché. But it isn't surprising.
Womankind has long known that style can be used as a weapon to mete out psychological torment. To outdress another woman is to diminish her on the public stage. To overdress is to reveal one's own insecurity. To underdress is to invite public tsk-tsking. And to dress too similarly is to invite unfortunate comparisons. Indeed, when three other women arrived at a White House reception in 2006 wearing the same red Oscar de la Renta dress as Laura Bush, the first lady swiftly changed clothes. Hence, the often asked question among female friends and acquaintances before a special event: What are you going to wear?
An interest in fashion also seems to beget an assumption of selfishness and mean-spiritedness. To adorn the body is to pollute the soul. It's all part of the fashion diva stereotype.
For example, each time Mrs. Obama met Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the former first lady of France, observers couldn't wait for what they described as an impending fashion smackdown. Mrs. Obama and Bruni-Sarkozy, a former model, were not viewed as two women who might find easy common ground thanks to a shared appreciation of fashion. Instead, the perception was that they would attempt to outdo each other in the public eye. If both had been avid gardeners, would there have been talk of a tomato-growing competition?
All of this hyperbole about fashion gamesmanship could have been avoided if only Mrs. Romney had maintained her country club mom style. Instead, as the campaign has worn on, she has developed a more polished public aesthetic. It can be extravagant, such as when she relies on Seventh Avenue stalwart Oscar de la Renta. It can be down home with khakis and button-down shirts. And it can be flamboyant, as when she appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" wearing a black leather suit with provocative black heels. She does not shy away from bold prints. And she has an affinity for boisterous necklaces.
Mrs. Romney is not so much enamored with contemporary fashion and the ebb and flow of trends as she is interested in the kaleidoscope that makes up the frock business: the colors, fabrics and patterns that dazzle the eyes. She doesn't have a signature, but she exudes an enthusiasm for fashion's extensive buffet—sampling a bit of this and a bit of that.
Mrs. Obama, on the other hand, projects an interest in style—that conscious desire to create a definitive public image using fashion. She has established a personal code incorporating sheath dresses, cropped cardigans, distinctive belts and full-skirted feminine dresses delivered straight from the most contemporary designers.
The women have wholly different approaches to fashion. But it is their shared interest in it that connects them and distinguishes them from former first ladies Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Barbara Bush. One often thought these women would have been happiest if they could have gone through their time in the White House cloaked in a potato sack.
Mrs. Romney may not have as keen an eye for personal style as the current first lady. But she clearly cares about clothes and seems to relate to them as a source of pleasure rather than as a utilitarian commodity. Whether she shops high or low, it's all good news for the fashion industry. And one hopes that Mrs. Romney, a wealthy woman, doesn't fall into the trap of being shamed by the cost of her clothes or continue bragging, through a spokesperson , about wearing 10-year-old evening gowns. What, exactly, is so valiant about that?
Instead of trying to determine who looks better in pink, both women should be congratulated for refusing to buy into the stereotype that fashion is inconsequential.
Fashion is not a competitive sport—at least it shouldn't be. It doesn't matter who wore a dress best, only that she wore it well.


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Our restless R&D team works constantly to update and improve our product to ensure its reliability as a solution to your PC issues; studying and tracking viruses/malware, as well as reviewing client input and feedback. Our database includes resource information on potential threats, vulnerabilities and typically targeted files. The Reimage repository is updated with the latest WinOS builds, patches and fixes, ready to solve any WinOS error and replace any corrupt or missing DLL file.
Below you will find links to information regarding the most common issues and errors. If you require any further information, please feel free to contact us with your questions here.
Most common WinOS errors such as:
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If you can find a way to boost your savings by just one percent more, you can increase your savings fund by a sizable amount. This calculator from The New York Times lets you play with the variables to see just how much extra you can save.
The calculator shows you how much you'll have saved in your time horizon at your chosen savings rate, if you save 1% more, and if you save an additional 1% each year (up to 16 percent). Adding 1% each year can can more than quadruple your savings.
Even accounting for annual returns less than the calculator's default of 5%—try 3% or 2%—you may be able to add a few hundred to several thousand dollars to your savings account in a few years with just a modest savings increase. (If you're wondering where to find this extra savings, lowering your monthly expenses and bills would be a good place to start.)
The 1% More Savings Calculator | The New York Times
You can follow or contact Melanie Pinola, the author of this post, on Twitter.


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A new report from the very excellent Carnegie Mellon University CyLab, by Pedro G. Leon, Blase Ur, Rebecca Balebako, Lorrie Faith Cranor, Richard Shay, and Yang Wang: Why Johnny Can't Opt Out: A Usability Evaluation of Tools to Limit Online Behavioral Advertising.
We present results of a 45-participant laboratory study investigating the usability of tools to limit online behavioral advertising (OBA).We tested nine tools, including tools that block access to advertising websites, tools that set cookies indicating a user's preference to opt out of OBA, and privacy tools that are built directly into web browsers. We interviewed participants about OBA, observed their behavior as they installed and used a privacy tool, and recorded their perceptions and attitudes about that tool. We found serious usability flaws in all nine tools we examined. The online opt-out tools were challenging for users to understand and configure. Users tend to be unfamiliar with most advertising companies, and therefore are unable to make meaningful choices. Users liked the fact that the browsers we tested had built-in Do Not Track features, but were wary of whether advertising companies would respect this preference. Users struggled to install and configure blocking lists to make effective use of blocking tools. They often erroneously concluded the tool they were using was blocking OBA when they had not properly configured it to do so.
Full Report: CMU-CyLab-11-017